Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Golden, CO and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,698 a month against $3,466 in Golden, CO, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Golden, CO outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

167

Cost of Living Index in Golden, CO
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Golden, CO Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Golden, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$3,466

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Golden, CO and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Golden, CO and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,466 in Golden, CO versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Golden, CO $3,466
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,184 in Golden, CO versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Golden, CO $3,184
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,903 in Golden, CO versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Golden, CO $2,903
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Golden, CO is roughly 28% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Golden, CO 156% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$20.63 $20.63

-1.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.4 $66.4

$84.6 $84.6

-21.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.87 $11.87

$12.07 $12.07

-1.66%

Cappuccino

$5.38 $5.38

$5.48 $5.48

-1.82%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$3.80 $3.80

-28.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.47 $2.47

-20.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.89 $5.89

$8.05 $8.05

-26.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.21 $7.21

$8.88 $8.88

-18.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.11 $1.11

-18.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 $3.27

$3.72 $3.72

-12.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$3.37 $3.37

28.78%

Eggs

$3.02 $3.02

$4.32 $4.32

-30.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.08 $15.08

$13.13 $13.13

14.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.68 $13.68

$14.15 $14.15

-3.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.39 $17.39

$16.33 $16.33

6.49%

Apples (1kg)

$5.48 $5.48

$4.55 $4.55

20.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.46 $1.46

-8.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$4.71 $4.71

-4.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$4.15 $4.15

11.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.58 $2.58

-6.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.35 $2.35

10.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.77 $1.77

35.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.14 $2.14

-7.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.09 $10.09

$10.10 $10.10

-0.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.31 $19.31

$15.19 $15.19

27.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.32 $3.32

$2.82 $2.82

17.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.73 $4.73

$3.44 $3.44

37.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 $2.68

$1.54 $1.54

74.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.80 $2.80

35.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.60 $1.60

-11.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.66 $24.66

$34.34 $34.34

-28.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.94 $0.94

8.51%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.8K $27.8K

$34.0K $34.0K

-18.10%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.9K $26.9K

$26.8K $26.8K

0.35%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$200 $200

$223 $223

-10.27%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$93.5 $93.5

$58.9 $58.9

58.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.9 $70.9

$70.6 $70.6

0.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 $60.4

$57.7 $57.7

4.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$15.20 $15.20

$14.26 $14.26

6.59%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,520 $1,520

$1,511 $1,511

0.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.8K $24.8K

$20.9K $20.9K

18.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 $57.7

$51.3 $51.3

12.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.77 $24.77

$44.17 $44.17

-43.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.3 $82.3

$87.0 $87.0

-5.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

-0.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,266 $2,266

$1,940 $1,940

16.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 $2,119

$1,316 $1,316

61.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

6.79

-1.03%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Golden, CO: October 17, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Golden, CO

$2.1K 61.1%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 37.9% $803

Groceries & Markets

Golden, CO

$424 12.2%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 4.2% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Golden, CO

$364 10.5%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 3.3% $12

Eating Out

Golden, CO

$326 9.4%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 7.5% $25

Clothing & Footwear

Golden, CO

$121 3.5%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 6.8% $8.2

Sport & Entertainment

Golden, CO

$91 2.6%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 5% $4.6

Getting Around

Golden, CO

$22 * 0.6%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 168% $36

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,266 in Golden, CO and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $66.0 in Golden, CO vs $85.0 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $424 vs $406, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Golden, CO

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

17:46 5:46 PM

18:46 6:46 PM

1 h ahead of Golden, CO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

20,399

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Golden, CO Austin, TX 1,250 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Golden, CO
Austin, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Golden, CO vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in Golden, CO. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $5,199 in Golden, CO and $4,046 in Austin, TX to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,266 in Golden, CO versus $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,520 in Golden, CO versus $1,511 in Austin, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Austin, TX – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $66.0 in Golden, CO. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Austin, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Golden, CO and Austin, TX are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Golden, CO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.